When many think of human trafficking, their minds immediately jump to sex trafficking. The thought makes sense—it’s more directly horrifying, and thus more sensational for the media to cover. However, especially in California, a more ignored version exists on a large scale: forced labor, particularly in agriculture.
Human trafficking and undocumented immigrants intersect in the worst sense in our state. Migrant workers, who make up a significant portion of California’s farm workers, are often forced into cheap or unpaid labor. Because many of them are undocumented, they have no legal rights. Since they have no documentation by the US government, they have no way to get help for their unfair working conditions. The police’s first question won’t be “How can we help?” It’ll be “Where are your papers?”
Although California is largely a progressive state, many forget the rural conservative core in Central Valley, which also happens to be the agricultural center of the state. As a result, undocumented migrant workers are forced to keep silent, since law enforcement is not there to work for them, but against them.
Human trafficking isn’t just a Central Valley problem, either. A study done by Sheldon Chang of SDSU estimates that 30.9% of all undocumented workers in San Diego County have at some point been victims. Fortunately, San Francisco is a bit better. In addition to being a sanctuary city, the mayor has created a Task Force on Anti-Human Trafficking, which found 500 reported cases last year. The UN also has a Voluntary Trust Fund for victims of human trafficking that accept donations year-round.
This Day Against Trafficking in Persons, remember to eat food that comes from ethical, sustainable sources and support your undocumented brothers and sisters—not just the ones lucky to live in our sanctuary city of San Francisco, but also those in red areas of California and the US at large.
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